Even the water dish pulled in a crowd, The titmice and chickadees were certainly loud.

When woodpeckers finally found the fresh suet, We were completely forgiven, the whole family knew it.

I began to feel better, I’d made up for my goof, When suddenly a voice caught my ear from the roof. (You may not believe this, but I swear it’s the truth.)

From a perch at the top, sang a sassy Blue Jay, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good day!”

The End

A lot has changed since 1988. The old apple tree is gone. My girls are grown and independent. But the feeders and birds remain. And I now have two grandsons who love watching birds at their feeders. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

To make your backyard more inviting to winter birds, try this suet recipe from Alabama birder, Martha Sargent.

Melt lard and peanut butter over low heat, then stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Pour into square or rectangular cake pan about 1-1/2 inches thick. Place in freezer for 30 minutes to allow suet to harden a bit, then cut blocks to size to fit your suet basket, separate blocks with wax paper, and store in freezer in plastic bags.

Scott Shalaway, who holds a Ph.D. in wildlife ecology from Michigan State University, writes from his home in rural West Virginia. A former faculty member at Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station, he has been writing a weekly nature column for newspapers and freelancing for magazines since 1986. He can be heard on Birds & Nature from 3-4 p.m. Sunday afternoons on 620 KHB Radio, Pittsburgh, or live online anywhere at www.khbradio.com, or on the Tune-In radio app. Visit his website at www.drshalaway.com or contact him directly at sshalaway@aol.com or 2222 Fish Ridge Road, Cameron, WV 26033.